


Vex & Vax sweet life in Exandria

by Messuaa



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Crack fic I guess, Gen, Humor, One Shot fics, Sibling Bonding, Yes the title is a zack and cody reference, doing my best to capture their personalities, idk how to tag, really just me projecting my twin stories onto my fav pair of half elven twins, tags will be updated along with updates bc i have nothing planned we die like men, twin life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2019-12-25 10:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18259823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Messuaa/pseuds/Messuaa
Summary: Small ficlets that are really just own experiences as a twin but starring our fav half elven rogue and rangerGeneral theme, age and such will be written at the start of each chapter and feel free to hmu with prompts!Not ive never written for CR and it might be OCC but i live for the twin fluff so read it or dont ill get a kick out of writing it down.Ill add characters, ships and tags as i add more chapters.





	1. Quick introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Shows/ characters arent mine but the mistakes sure are! No beta bc this is just a self indulgent shitposting spree  
> Thank you for checking it out!

Introduction chapter to get some stuff out of the way!

Ill try and keep it close to canon setting with all the magic of Exandria, classes and their relationsips but im going to try and stay away from anything main-story related as this is really just twin shenanigans and such. (aka i probably wont adress the Chroma Conclave but those daddy issues? hell yeah baby )

IF i get anything wrong, be it gramma or something CR1 related feel free to let me know.

Now i have a twin sister, and i see a lot of resemblance between us and Vex & Vax. Sothought this was a sweet way to remember good old times, and present bc we still idiots, while sharing some of the dumb things we've done as twins, be it related to that or just because were both Gen Z chaotic Aries.

 

Hope you'll enjoy


	2. Spot The Difference

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fight in a swamp leaves VM dirty, in a bad mood and longing for a nice long bath.  
> Cue VM realizing how similar Vex and Vax look when they arent wearing all their gear and hair-do.  
> This starts every twins favorite game of 'Spot the difference'...
> 
> Perc'ahlia and Vaxleth if you really squint

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At some point, most semi/completely identical twins have experienced the "Spot the difference" game where people just start listing how they tell you appart. Thing is.. its easy to accidentally offend someone so i'll try and stop people or change the subject when it starts.
> 
> Sometime during VM many adventures, the twins are around 28 yo

They’re all filthy

 

Vox Machina had been hired to investigate a small town at the edge of a swamp where villagers had slowly gone missing.

Now usually they’d have bigger problems to solve but it sounded like a quick and easy job plus a solid payment and they were actually finding themselves in a nice and rare time of peace and quiet.

 

With Grog insisting he’d go on his own if they didn’t join them, along with the mental image from the knowledge that he’d been through every whorehouse in Emon at this point.

 

Vex had also felt the tug of a well paying job and with both her and Grog allied Vox Machina soon found themselves knee deep in sludge as they battled a Will-O-Wisp.

 

By no means was this a tough battle for the legendary team, but by the end of the fight they were all coated in mud, rot and other … questionable substances.

 

“Did anyone prepare prestidigitation?” 

The posh voice of one Sir Percy called out to the group from behind a tree where he had hid and was now cleaning off Bad News which had been splashed with swamp water when Bigby's hand had tried batting the Wisp out of the air and had instead missed causing a cannonball like effect in the swamp pool.

 

A chorus of “Nope” “Sorry Percy, im tapped” “Sadly no” rang out and with a collective sigh the heroes began the trudge through back out of the swamp.

 

They were filthy, a stench stuck to them as well as the eyes of the villagers as the rag tag group of adventurers made it into the small city. Where Vex was feeling properly annoyed at the state of her hair and clothes, she was followed close behind by one very giddy Vax who despite not being much cleaner didn’t mind it and was instead delighted at his sisters misery.

 

“Now now Stubby, you know what we could do with alllll the gold we just got” Vax drawled behind her, further rubbing it in that the pay really wasn’t worth the effort and smell that clung to her   
  
“Why not go to a bathhouse? it’s been a while and we can have our stuff cleaned” Despite how much joy he fund in seeing his sister annoyed, Vax could tell that Vex was actually in a bit of a mood and nothings better that some nice team bonding in a steaming bath.

 

This had everyone perk up a bit, Percy especially as Vex caught his shoulders relaxing from just the thought of the warm water. He had been working in the basement a lot lately.

 

“Now that might just be the best idea you’ve ever had” Vex called out, picking up pace and following her gut to where a both house might be, but still hearing the quiet “yeah yeah” from her brother, a fond tone in his voice.

 

It barely took them 10 minutes, with this being a small town and the layout resembling that of most towns this side of Exandria.

As soon as they entered they were practically ushered off to small changing rooms, the staff pretty easily guessing what they were there for. A quick transaction, some undressing and undoing of hair later and the group were all relaxing in a nice hot pool, presumably heated by some magic.

 

Scanlan and Grog were quick to settle down on either side of Pike, Keyleth and Percy had started a discussion on the way back from the swamp about using natural gasses produced by plants to compress air and use that for weapons, this discussion picked up as soon as they got into the water.

 

This left the two twins to sit next to each other

 

“ugh, stuck with you again? wast the womb enough?” Vax mumbled, loud enough to obviously be directed at her and said in such a fond yet monotone way that the bite of the words didn’t even matter.

 

“Shush you love me brother, now help me detangle my hair” Vex shot back, giving a friendly but maybe a bit too rough shove.

“Oi! Stubby” Vax called out, surprised by the sudden attack but never one to back down from a fight with his twin he gave a good tug at the hair he was already starting to detangle.

 

Vex was already preparing to splash a good handful of water at her twin when Keyleth broke in-

 

“Hey guys, c’mon were relaxing! You can bicker later”

 

“We weren't-” “Were not-” They both started and cut eachother off with a glare before both cracking and giggling like they were children again and their mother had caught them play-fighting.

 

They would have probably picked it up if Keyleth hadn’t suddenly started giving them a rather funny look.

  
“Huh, wow i didn’t even realize” she mumbled, probably not even aware she was speaking aloud until Percy coughed to get her attention.   
“What Is it Keyleth? “ He called out

 

“Yeah Kiki, Something on my face?” Vax piped up, now splashing some water on himself to make sure had had gotten all the swamp goo off him.

 

“No, no no it’s just. Wow. When you’re sitting next to each other and not wearing, like, your usual stuff? It’s really hard to tell you guys apart”

Keyleth had drawn the attention of the others and they all made various sounds of wonder or just agreement at her statement.

 

The twins looked to each other with matching looks of ‘ _Oh.. We know what's coming next_ ’ But before either of them could stop the usual event following such a statement, it was happening.

 

Keyleth, bless her soul and not knowing better was the one to start it all

“It’s usually pretty easy, i can actually tell you apart from the way you smell.. uh, wait i don’t mean that in a mean way just like.” She was fumbling a bit realizing what it could imply

“You guys wear different armour, and Vex you’re always around Trinket- OH but you totally don’t smell like a bear”   
She was slowly sinking into the water as she continued to dig the hole deeper for herself.

 

“Kiki its okay-” “Darling it’s fine lets not-” They both tried to stop it but the smooth baritone voice af one Scanlan Shorthalt just had to continue this conversation.

 

“I just have to look at those lips, names may not be my specialty but lips on the other hand, those i know” He managed to sound both logical, creepy and ridiculous all in one sentence and it left both twins with enough confusion for Grog to pipe in

 

“No see, you just have to look at them, that’s Vax, and that’s Vex” Grog joined in, of course he got it wrong, Pike told him so by stage whispering  that it was the other way around while rubbing his arm in comfort.

 

“Besides, Vex’s hair is longer than Vax’s. Isn’t that the easiest way” Pike added

 

Both twins nodded at this, knowing it to be true if a bit hard to tell when wet and tangled like now. 

It wasn’t the first time they’d had to listen to people arguing over what part of one was different from the other, it happen a lot when they were younger and although the intent is harmless its very easy for people to end up saying something that could unintentionally be a bit hurtful like Keyleth earlier or..

 

Percy, ever the observer and cynical human joined in after being silent for much of the back and forth.

“Id say Vex is a bit rounder as well compared-” He almost didn’t finish his sentence as a wave of water hit him, courtesy of Vex. 

 

“I’ll have you know i’m pure muscle!” She called, acting more upset that she really was, she knew what he meant, that her face was a bit rounder where Vax was admittedly more lanky than her, being a boy and all.   
  
Looking a bit flabbergasted Percy stumbled over his words and Scanlan mumbled something about ‘what not to tell a lady’ and the rest were split between complimenting Vex and chewing out Percy.

 

Until they were silenced by two very similar laughs, both Vex and Vax not being able to hold it in at the ridiculous display of their friends getting riled up over this.

 

“Percy, Darling it’s fine i know what you meant but really guys, this is sweet and all but it gets old hearing about our differences” Vex silenced them while still giggling a bit.

 

“Exactly, though it’s very sweet you all pay this much attention to us” Vax shot a smile at Keyleth at the same time that Vex winked at Percy, working in sync like a well practised routine.

“We’ve heard most of it before, but we rather like to focus on the things that make us identical, that proves were family.” Vax had gotten a more distant look, remembering him and is sister sticking together, loving the things about each other that made them so similar, that made them family because they only had each other.

He came back to it when he felt arms around him and a genuine hug frm his sister as well as everyone looking at him with rather sweet smiles.

 

It was a tooth-rotting scene until Vax’ildan remembered where they were and shoved his sister away but the shoulders.   
“Get off Stubby! Were both naked that’s so weird ugh”   
He kept a playful tone and the two twins shot each other a sweet smile as the others laughed at his reactions but sensed that the moment was over and went back to their previous discussions.

 

Playing a game of spot the difference want always bad, it really depends on the people but at the end of the day, they'd still be practically identical at first glance.


	3. Personal Mannequin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The counsil are hosting a dinner party and Vex insists on getting a new dress.  
> With the rest of the party doing their own thing, Vax is dragged along and ends up being quite helpful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes when i dont feel like trying stuff on in store, or if im not sure a colour will look good on me ill just have my twin wear it/ try it. It work like 80% of the time.
> 
> (Also HEY its out birthday today soo, if you even find his happy birthday!)
> 
> \- Sometime during VM many adventures, the twins are around 28 yo -

Percy was tinkering, had been for the better part of a week, and being so close to finish refused to leave the basement for some fresh air. Not even to help Vex shop for a new dress for the dinner with the council tomorrow.

 

Keyleth had wandered off sometime early morning to help the farmers with some crops that weren’t growing properly and had probably been roped in to help with something else on the farms as well. Good natured as she is, they probably wouldnt see her before dinner.

 

Pike had been at the Sarenrae temple yesterday and had probably gone back in the morning to help out, this isn't anything new but it did leave Vex with only guys to choose from to accompany her into the city. She could just go alone but there's really no fun in that.

 

Grog and Scanlan, as it turns out, were starting the day early and going bar hopping

“Like good old times” they’d called out before leaving, which left Vex with only one option. 

(Not counting Trinket, adorable as he is he usually isn’t allowed inside the small stores and he is biased on the fact that he’ll always tell Vex shes beautiful)

 

“Oh brotheeerrr” Vex happily called out, long since given up on sneaking up on Vax, the damn rogue was too observant.

 

“Why Lady Vex'ahlia what do i owe the pleasure?” Vax mimicked his best post voice, mouth full of the breakfast he had been enjoying in peace moments before. 

 

“I need a new dress so we’re going shopping.” She was now helping him finish his breakfast faster by wolfing down the bread he had lying in front of him, truly behavior fit for a lady.

 

“So basically you need someone to come with so your aren't alone and both Pike and Kiki are busy?” he replied matter of factly as he tried, and succeeded, to snatch himself some of the bread before Vex ate it all. Those rogue abilities sure do come handy sometimes.

 

“Yep” She popped the p and left to get her coin purse, not needing to communicate much more with Vax. She knew he’d join and that he'd know they'd be leaving as soon as he was finished.

 

The weather was rather nice out if a bit chilly, neither of the twins mind this however, both usually wore a lot of layers. There was the smell of freshly baked bread in the air and the light wind carried the many voices of Emons citizens, striking deals, mindlessly chatting or children playing. 

 

Emon offered many stores that had multiple striking and beautiful dresses but without even discussing it the twins made their way in comfortable silence towards Vox Machina’s very own sponsor, the man with the talent for fashion and most moderns Marquesian looks this side of Exandria.

Shaun Gilmore, Owner of Gilmore's Glorious Goods, was a dear friend, past love interest and huge flirt and Vex couldn't imagine shopping anywhere else, maybe with her brother in tow she gould get an extra good deal.

She immediately picked up the pace Vax following close behind, happy at seeing his sister in such a good mood and not particularly wanting to ruin it he just let her enjoy it, besides they were heading towards Shaun so he might be hurrying a bit himself.

 

Gilmore, ever the smart businessman, had an alarm spell set up so a bell rang out any time someone entered his shop. Not even 5 seconds later, the man himself emerged from a back room, striding through a curtain of beads and giving them a bright smile the moment he realized who had entered the shop.

 

“MY my! if it isn’t my favorite trouble duo” He almost ran around the counter to pick them both up in hugs, and if he held Vax a little longer than Vex well.. no one mentioned it.

“Vex’ahlia, Vax’ildan!” He looked relaxed yet not a hair was out of place, his makeup was sharp and his clothes was draped to perfection.

 

Yes, this was just the man to help Vex out.

 

“Shaun! it’s been a while” Vax was gripping his upper arm and Vex turned to inspect some of the dresses that were on display leaving the two men to catch up a bit.

 

“Vex my dear you're looking for a dress?” Gilmore called out a little while after and she turned to him with a mischievous grin.

 

“My brother your last brain cell must be working hard if you remembered AND managed to tell Gilmore.” she received a stuck out tongue and a slightly pink blush from Vax.

“Yes, there's a dinner party with the council and i’d like to look my best, do you have any ideas?” She had hardly finished before Gilmore darted off into the basement returning shortly after with a few different but all cool toned dresses slewn over his arm. 

He dumped the pile on the counter and waved both twins over. Vax was feeling the different fabrics, seemin content to just watch Shaun work, he didn't need any new knives and the mans talent for fashion genuinely intrigued him.

Gilmore held up a light blue dress, low cut and reaching her thigh.

 

“This would certainly turn some eyes but it might be a bit scandalous for the council, old souls all of them, they'd keel right over if you walked in in this” Gilmore was half talking to the two of them, half mumbling to himself, focused on finding her the best of the best.

“Maybe something that doesn't hug your curves too much. I wonder which is best for your skintone now that the sun has been out more.” He continued mumbling. Vex tried to catch her brothers eye only to find his gaze fixated on the hand that was running over Shauns beard.. so maybe not entirely ex love interest, shed have to ask about that later even if they weren't the best at having deep heart to heart conversations all the time they understood each other pretty well.

Suddenly Shaun clapped his hands.

“Yes, i think youll have to try them all on, that's the easiest way to see if it fits you hair, eyes and skin tone.” He exclaimed happily.

Vex heart sunk a bit. The sheer amount of dresses he had found was scaring her a bit and getting in and out of dresses were such a chore, though she would love to see how they would look on her herself.

 

And idea struck her, and as she looked to her brother with a devilish grin she could see the realization dawning on him as well. She quickly snatched his collar before he could turn and run.

“Oh i wish i had someone who looked JUST like me who could help me try these on” 

Now Gilmore was the one to blush, but even so he smiled at the idea.

“Marvelous idea Lady Vex’ahlia”

In swift movements he had braided Vax’s hair the way hers was, given them both a dress and pushed them towards some changing rooms.

They undress with mild difficulty, Vax took a little longer as he had more gear to strip out of and was less used to shrugging into a dress. 

 

They both emerged and turned to face each other, yes this idea was perfect. Vax didn't have the same curves but this way she could see if the color was flattering on her and with a little imagination she could se it on herself, from the appreciative humming Gilmore was letting out he realized the same.

 

“Stubby you owe me for this” He grumbled but couldn't help mirror the pose she was striking.

 

Vax was in a long maxi dress with a silver trim, it looked alright but it was a very dark look overall which might fit him but wasn't what she was looking for. A silent conversation with Gilmore purely through one look and they both agreed this wasn't the on. She was in a green tube dress with fringes and gold embroidery, again it was a cute dress but just not for her.

 

They changed into new dresses, faster this time and again turned to look at each other. Striking poses, Vex would adjust a strap n Vax, Gilmore would tell Vex to turn and slowly they made their way through the pile. 

She liked some, sometimes Vax would pipe in with a comment or two but mostly he just put up with the two people he loved, or uh… well the two of them when they asked him to twirl, bend a bit or straighten up more.

 

“That’s the one!” Both Vex and Gilmore exclaimed when he walked out of the dressing room in probably the 7th dress he’d put on that day and Vax felt his shoulders drop in relief, causing them all to laugh.

 

He was in a floor length silver dress with a slit up the side, it looked like a bunch of fabric draped and wrapped around him and Vex could just see the way it would hug her figure without being too scandalous. This was sure to lure Percy with them to the dinner as well, no pretending to be sick so he could continue working this time.

It covered the shoulders but as Vax started striking more and more silly poses she could tell that it would be easy to move in if she had to. With their luck, she would.

 

“I have to say Stubby this is quite nice actually, maybe i should start stealing your dresses, get you back for always stealing my shoes, shirts, socks-” He started listing off

 

“Ok ok Scrawny, get changed back!” she shoved him into the changing room to change back into his own clothes and Gilmore happily picked up the other dresses to put back in their place after this business deal. Sherri had been watching from the corner of the story and now presented Vex with the price of the dress, VM discount included.

 

“5 gold pieces? even for your ‘favorite trouble duo’ as you put it” Vex winked at Gilmore hoping to work her charm as always

 

Gilmore silenced her with a finger on her lips and a  _ ‘tsk, tsk tsk’  _ click of the tongue.

“Vex’ahlia, i run a business. Please” he gestured around him in typical Gilmore fashion and looking a tid bit offended shed even try her heckling with him.

 

Vax had joined them, back in his emo attire and bumped Vex’s shoulder with his own.

“Shaun, i’m sure she was only playing around, it’s a glorious business you run and were happy as alway to have you as our sponsor”  

Meanwhile Vex had dug out the gold, feeling a tug at her conscience both for paying so much for dress even if it was the finest fabric from Marquet, but also for trying to charm Gilmore into having to pay less.

 

“Of course, here you are Gilmore. Thank you for the help, it really is a lovely dress”

She smiled as they exchanged, Vex handing over the gold and Sherri passing her the dress that she had wrapped in the meantime.

 

“A pleasure doing business” Came the reply as always form Gilmore. He gave them both a hug, hand lingering on Vax’s shoulder and as they emerged from the store the sun had made its way across the sky and it was almost past noon.

 

“Warn me next time you're going shopping that i’ll be used at you personal mannequin” Vax said with no heat to his words. He had actually had fun getting to spend the day passing jokes with both Vex and Shaun, it really had been a while.

 

“A hush i could tell you liked it” Vex linked their arms and they once again made their way, back to greyskull keep, in comfortable silence. 

 

Vex couldn't help but realize that the dress would not only look stunning with her slightly darker skin, black hair and blue feathers, but would also look stunning next to Percy. She felt her smile widen and didn't bother hiding it, she was happy after all.


	4. Cereal Business

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The competitive behaviour coupled with the need to be treated equally for twins can be quite a handful for a single mom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My mom raised my sister and i on her own for a good while and we fought a lot over who got more.  
> One morning she had enough and ended up counting our Coco puffs to make sure we got the exact same.
> 
> Pre VM the twins are living with their mom. Around 10 yo

The twins slept next to each other, even though they had their owns beds they had pushed them together seeking the extra heat that came from sleeping close. And maybe because they liked to think they were watching over each other.

This all looked very sweet and their mother had gushed about it when they continued to push their beds together even as the grew older, started school and started really growing into teenagers.. soon.

This however also meant that when one twin woke up, the other would immediately be awake as well.

 

This particular morning they were up earlier than usual.

Elaina was still asleep and the two had a silent conversation through a few nods in which they agreed to let her sleep.

Instead they sneaked off to the small kitchen, the up and coming rogue a bit lighter and more silent on his feet and the growing ranger with her eye fixated on the price ahead, their target.

They had started target practising together, throwing sticks, stones and that one time Vax had found a knife, against tree trunks both of them with very keen eyes and talents for hitting their mark spot on.

This target however.

This was different.

 

School was out for a week and since they had both done well their mother had gotten them a treat, a sugary breakfast food that when combined with milk, poured in last of course, was a delicious prized possession for the two young half elves.

With true child logic, the twins figured that if they poured it themselves they could get a slightly bigger portion today that if Elaina did it, so stealthing this morning mission they got out some bowls and spoons. Being in a cooler month they could keep jugs of milk outside so it didn't spoil as fast, Vex retrieved the milk as Vax started pouring the sugary grain.

 

Vex walked a bit fasten, not wanting to giver her brother the time to also sneak an extra dry bite of the treat while she had her back turned. The second she came back into the kitchen her gaze went immediately to the bowls and she let out a splutter of hisses and other outraged noises while still trying to keep quiet.

 

“Vax no fair that's not even at all!” She sat the milk down and started transferring grain from one bowl to the other.

 

“It was perfectly even Stubby!” Vax hissed, stashing the rest of the grain away and shoving at her hands to stop her from messing up the, to him, very even division of breakfast food.

 

“Well then which portion do you want?” She said with a razed brow and fury in her eyes, though still quiet.

 

Vax points to the left one, to Vex *clearly* the one with the most in it and she immediately starts taking the contents from it and putting it into the other bowl.

 

“You filled that one more”    
  
“VEX!” He had given up on stealth to instead sound both betrayed and properly annoyed at his twin. In retaliation he started moving the grain from the bowl she was filling back into the other one.

 

“Vax stop it, it needs to be fair!”

 

“It was fair but then you messed it up you idiot!”

 

“You’re the idiot, idiot! it was uneven”

 

The volume raised, hair was pulled and creative insults only a 10 year old could think of were thrown.

That is, until a cough had them both stop and slowly turn to face their mother who had been woken up by their argument. They hadn't spilled any of the food, luckily, but their mother still looked quite disappointed.

“Vex’ahlia, what did you just call your brother and Vax’ildan stop pulling your sisters hair.”

None of them apologized but they did stop shooting each other dirty glanced and Vax did let go.

 

How their mother wished this was the first time, one thing they don't tell you about twins is really how much time you have to spend making sure everything is even and fair. If ones hair is brushed, the others has to be too, if they get some sweet drinks there had to be the exact same amount or they'd get upset. 

It was tiring.

So when her two darling children woke her up after she had been up late the night before, she was really not in the mood for this.

 

“Hand the bowels over” Her voice was maybe a tad bit too stern but what was a single mother to do?

 

Vex and Vax handed over the bowels and looked on in horror as they thought she was about to deny them the sweet treat and instead either give them the usual dry bread or perhaps nothing at all.

 

Instead of putting it back in the bag however, she dug out her old measuring unit and with some slightly forceful movements, never towards her children though, she meticulously measured each bowel until the weight was the same, both children now looking on in fascination.

 

“Thank you!” “Thanks!” they said in unison when she handed them a bowl each. 

 

Elaine gave them a tired smile, deciding to have a bowel herself the small family enjoyed a nice breakfast in silence.

 

In more present times the twins like to think they had matured more and were able to share and not mind if one got more than the other, but there were some days..

Vax would switch his and his sisters mug of ale because his had had more foam so hers had been more full.

Vex would take the bigger pastry for herself and give Vax the smaller one when she brought some from their little bakery.

The rest of the group would sometimes notice but no one felt the need to call them out on it unless they started bickering.


	5. Times to say “we haven’t been this close since birth”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's this one really bad twin joke of saying “we haven't been this close since birth” and everyone has a first time hearing it… here's most of Vox Machinas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I arrive, coffee in hand and sunglasses perched high on my nose.  
> Betcha didn’t expect this would update? Honestly neither did i but ill try and continue this since i’m mostly doing this for my broken heart.  
> Thoughts/Comments are still greatly appreciated.

\- Keyleth -  
Three very tired helfelves stood with mud and sludge dripping from their hair.  
Vax, who had taken a good few hits during the fight, was leaning heavily on Keyleth and his sister while a surprisingly perky Pike slowly made her way through the mud.

He coughs a bit and winces as this both sends jolts of pain from a bruised rib, but also makes his hold on Vex shift which makes it very apparent how dirty they are.  
“I’m voting for a trip to the bath house”  
He grunts leaning more on his sister if just to annoy her a bit.

“Now now brother it's not all bad, i dont think weve been this close since the womb”  
This of course gets a smile out of Vax and Vex smiles right along him. It's a common twin joke between them and would make them both smile as they crammed into the same bed for the night when it was just the two of them on the road and they didn't want to spend extra on two beds.

A light and a bit hysteric chuckle breaks them both out of it as Keyleth does her best not to jostle Vax while also holding back her laugh  
“Wha- Did you just say?”  
She looks to the twins whose smiles have both warped into something more mischievous as they answer in unison.  
“Nothing Kiki” both with a glint of something, love?, in their eyes.  
She doesn't comment on it more and chalks it up to them just being a weird bunch.

 

\- Grog -  
like many other evenings the traveling party, Vox Machina, were seated around a table in a small inn, bellies bursting with laughter and filled with Ale.  
Work had been scarce so they had started to entertain themselves in other ways, cue their current situation.  
Grog and Keyleth staring each other down with a giant mug of ale in front of them both and Percy standing at the end of the table about to signal start.  
The two had agreed to a drinking contest which had riled up the few other people in the inn who had all gathered around.  
Vex seeing this as a chance quickly looped her other half into her plan.

Percy let a small handkerchief, because of course he has one, fall and signal them both to start. Cheers start and the dark haired rogue quickly blends with the crows and starts creating a whisper campaign that the young red head half elf could drink a whole lake if she wanted.

“5 GOLD ON THE GOLIATH” Vex calls out, shortly followed by Vax calling out  
“10 ON THE HALF ELF” and so their trap was started.

Scanlan caught on quick and with a shake of his head joins in, betting on Grog.  
Pike hadn't noticed the twins plan, but always the supporter of her big friend joined in as well.

The contest ended with grog proudly slamming his mug into the table calling for another, while Keyleth set her half empty cup down, shoots up and runs out the door presumably to, uh, rid herself of some poison in a back alley. Percy going after her to make sure she's not passed out leaves the twins to collect many coins from the participants of the bet who all mumble about cheating.

Grog is cheering and as the twins return with their loot he pulls them both into a rare and very forceful hug, knocking a bit of wind out of them both.  
“Alright big guy, let a guy breathe yeah”  
“Yes this is hardly the guy i prefer being this close with” This earns her a smile from her twin, who has of course noticed his sisters pining and she blushes.  
“Now now this is special Stubby, we haven't been this close since birth”  
The arms around them loosen and they drop the fev centimeters they’d been lifted from the ground.  
The gears are clearly turning in the barbarians brain to figure out what Vax had meant and why they had both laughed before he’s snapped out of it by the rogue knocking on his bald head saying “Don’t hurt yourself” so he lets it go, must be some of that sibling humor.

 

\- Pike -  
Vex is brought out of her daydream, which no was absolutely not about a certain gunslingers hands VAX, by a charred and burnt nasty excuse of a foot. Or… the remnants of one.  
The smell alone was enough to have her double over and gag, of course her brother would continue to use this new found ‘weapon’ against her.

Waving her hands around in a feeble attempt to land one on her ever annoying twin she resisted the urge to part with her breakfast.  
“Vax’ildan you're disgusting! what is wrong with you”  
His reply was a cheeky grin and a poor mimic of her signature wink.  
“Ugh how are we related” Vex wasn't a person to whine, but her brother did have the ability to draw out her inner child.

A small cough brought her attention away from her brother to their small cleric.  
“Im sorry Vex but could you just help steady him while i continue to heal his foot, last time he got a but woozy” She was so polite! Vex looked from her kind eyes and smile to her dopey brother who looked so pleased for a guy with only one functioning foot.

“Fine, come here stupid” she sat down, intending for her brother to sit sext to her so he could lean against her.  
This did not happen, instead he plopped down half in her lab and with his charred foot tugged as close to them both.. of course he would.  
“Too close brother, gods do you ever air out your shoes”.

“Now now we could be closer!” And so Vax managed to press even closer, oh he would feel her wrath later in the form of a very big angry bear, teach him about being squished.  
For now she turned her head to avoid the melted foot that was now even closer to her poor nose.  
“My Stubby id say we haven't been this close since birth” Vax was already laughing and well, Vex couldn't stay mad, not with the dirty trick her brother played or with him smiling so genuinely. That said he'd still be getting a visit from Trinket later.

A heavenly pearly laugh filled the air and both twins looked to the small cleric (who was now being ogled by one Scanlan Shorthalt) who was wiping a tear from her eye.  
“It's hard to believe how childish you two can be with eachother” Even the insult was diminished by how sweet Pike managed to say it.  
“Though that is a bit disturbing, i really should focus on this” She gently tapped the burnt foot and Vax let out a small yelp, wiggling a bit away from his sister so he was say a bit better and let Pike focus on her spell.

 

\- Percy -  
Its late, not that Percy had noticed with how head holed up in his workshop to tinker with some small projects for everyone in the party.  
Its calm, the sound of the embers in the furnace blends surprisingly well with the light snoring from his small cot in the corner.

Vax had joined him earlier, claiming boredom but he suspected he actually might just enjoy the quiet company that Percy was happy to provide. In the end it was all the same since he had nodded off some time after arriving presumably still tired from their Emon bar hopping last night, even if he disappeared right around the bar curiously close to Gilmores.. curious indeed.  
For now he wouldn't complain about letting him stay in the bed.

A cheerful knock on the door sounds and it creaks open with a heavenly voice calling out.  
“Percy darling how are those arrows looking, and have you by chance seen-” 

She’s quickly cut off when a grumble from the bed draws her attention to her groggy (hah) brother, guessing he woke up from the sudden added noise. Cant have been sleeping too heavy them if that was all it took or maybe it was some telepathic thing with his twins proximity.

Percy breaks from his focus, he needed to use the hammer and had been holding out to let Vax sleep just a bit more, and just caught the mischievous grin before Vex sprang on her brother in the bed, knocking some air out of him.

“gh’ oof Stubby you're not so little anymore” He gets a few good swats to his shoulder for that one.

Percy picks up the hammer and starts hitting the heated metal, it's not so loud as this is just adding fine lines and details to a ring Tary would then enchant.

Vex snuggles closer to Vax, not that the room was particularly cold but she had her more affectionate moments, especially after the whole ‘Raven Queen’ ordeal.  
“Haven't been this close since birth huh” Vex says quietly and most like only meant for her brother but the gunslinger had a rather good perception, better than his dex at the moment.  
He stops the sudden outraged laugh before it bursts out but in doing so his focus is shifted a bit and the hammer instead impacts on his thumb.  
Even with the gloves that hurt.  
“Percy are you okay!”  
“Whitey can't go mimicking Victor now”  
The twins are both smiling as Percy sticks an already blue finger into his mouth in a futile attempt to soothe it and not willing to acknowledge the shrill yelp he had instead let out from the sudden pain.

In the end he finished the ring and started on an arrow and the twins took a good rest.. nap? while he worked, lightly snoring through even the louder hammer. Twins were weird.


End file.
